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PGCertAdvanced Palliative and End of Life Care Management and Prescribing

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Campus: Southampton City CentreView on Google Maps

Why study an advanced palliative and end of life care management and prescribing PGCert at Solent University

Gain advanced skills, independent and supplementary prescribing rights and lead compassionate, personalised end-of-life care.

  • £0m
    invested in our campus estate and facilities over the past five years
  • 0th
    university in the UK for low carbon emissions (THE 2023)
  • The end-of-life care module is designed and delivered in partnership with Mountbatten Hospice Group leading specialists in palliative care.
  • Students benefit from guest lectures and talks by experienced palliative care professionals and industry experts.
  • The course integrates Immersive Simulation - Integrated into the curriculum on a weekly basis in history taking and physical assessment and occasionally in independent and supplementary prescribing
  • Interact with service users who have complex drug regimens requires careful coordination, detailed medication review, and personalised communication to ensure safe and effective treatment management.
  • The Independent and Supplementary Prescribing qualification is accredited by the NMC - this means you will be entitled to update your registration status to Independent and Supplementary Prescriber upon completion of this PGCert.
  • Learn in low-fidelity simulation scenarios applied to prescribing provide a simplified, controlled environment for practicing and refining basic prescribing skills and decision-making.
  • Students have access to our specialist nursing facilities, including a nursing simulation suite with a six-bed ward, GP consulting room, nurse's treatment room, care home bedroom, and a range of clinical equipment including simulation mannequins.
  • Every student at Solent University will also have the option to study an additional Certificate in Practical Artificial Intelligence qualification alongside their course. Free of charge, the course ensures you'll be prepared for a fantastic and varied career after graduation.

Course overview

This postgraduate programme is designed for registered nurses who aim to enhance their expertise in providing compassionate, evidence-based care for patients approaching the end of life. In line with the NHS Long-Term Workforce Plan's focus on developing specialist roles, this programme prepares professionals to deliver exceptional end-of-life care, ensuring dignity, comfort, and clinical excellence.

The course also covers essential pharmacology to ensure safe prescribing practices, with a strong emphasis on merging theoretical knowledge with clinical application. Students will engage with various scenarios leading to prescriptions, encouraging reflective practice and the use of local and national guidelines to inform their decisions.

The programme includes two 30-credit modules: Palliative and End of Life Care, focusing on the delivery of holistic, patient-centred care, supporting physical, emotional, psychological, and social needs of service users and relatives at the end of life; and Independent and Supplementary Prescribing, offering the necessary knowledge and skills to prescribe safely and effectively, ensuring that care is managed and tailored real-time without delays or limitations.

The Palliative and End of Life Care module will be delivered in partnership with Mountbatten Hospice Group who provide inpatient and community palliative and end of life care across the Isle of Wight, Southampton and parts of Hampshire.

Experts from across the multi-professional team will deliver teaching, based on best practice and their knowledge and experience. Teaching will be interactive and based on case scenarios to support application of theory into practice. 

Through this course, professionals will be equipped with the competencies to address the complex needs of patients nearing the end of life, incorporating both clinical decision-making and compassionate care. The programme emphasises the need to develop critical thinking and decision-making skills in palliative care settings, which aims to meet rising demand from the NHS and improve role retention through targeted education. 

Our strong links with NHS trusts, hospices, and community providers offer real-world learning and placement opportunities. And the teaching team are active clinicians, ensuring course content is up to date with current best practices.

This programme is vital for addressing the shortage of palliative care practitioners across the UK and will provide graduates with the essential skills, knowledge, and experience, that are instrumental in meeting the increasing demand for personalised palliative care.

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Course features

  • Specialist facilities

    This course has access to specialist facilities

  • Part-time option

    You can study this course part-time

This course is for

This course is designed to provide registered nurses, with at least one year of post-registration experience, who are looking to develop specialist skills, with the knowledge and skills to deliver best practice palliative and end of life care in their area of practice. 

What this course leads to

You'll develop skills needed to make safe clinical decisions when assessing service users with diverse health needs across all healthcare settings.

  • Nurses with specialist skills to deliver best practice palliative and end of life care

Meet the team

Learn from qualified staff with a wealth of experience working in a range of clinical settings.

The University cannot guarantee any particular members of staff will teach specific aspects of the course in the future, but will endeavour to ensure the teaching team maintains their balance of experience and qualifications.

Facilities

You’ll have access to a range of our specialist facilities, including a nursing simulation suite with a six bed ward, GP consulting room, nurse’s treatment room, waiting area/break out space, care home bedroom and working kitchen and bathroom. There is a wide range of clinical equipment including simulation manikins to facilitate various simulated scenarios.

Our vibrant campus brings state-of-the-art facilities to enhance your learning and elevate your student experience. Our award-winning teaching building, The Spark is centred around students and offers a stimulating study environment with flexible learning spaces.

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